1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to hoists. More specifically, the invention is a collapsible game hanger which prevents the game from twisting, installable on the trailer hitch drawbar of a pickup truck, and enables an open tailgate while utilizing the game hanger apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
The related art of interest describes various hoists attachable to vehicles, but none discloses the present invention. There is a need for a game hoist apparatus which can be readily attached with the tailgate open, subsequently detached from a trailer hitch drawbar, and folded for transport or storage. The relevant art will be discussed in the order of perceived relevance to the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,338,703, issued on Jul. 13, 1982, to James M. Tanner, describes a game supporting device placed in a slot in a sidewall of a bed of a pickup truck or attached to the bumper of a truck. An upright cylindrical member has a perpendicular cylindrical member supported by a cylindrical brace. The upright member has a winch and a hand crank attached which supplies a cable through two rollers to a structure for hanging an animal carcass consisting of an upper horizontal crossbar connected by a pair of chains to a lower movable horizontal crossbar. The crossbars have perpendicular ends which point upward. The upright cylindrical member passes through a sleeve two sets of peripheral bores for insertion of pins to position the supporting device in various positions. A solid cylindrical member at the bottom of the support is inserted into the sidewall of a bed of a pickup truck. The apparatus is distinguishable for requiring a sleeve member, external roller linkages for the cable and two crossbars connected by chains.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,858, issued on Aug. 11, 1998 to Kenneth W. Sasser, describes a vehicle mounted game skinning device that is separable and connected to a receiver hitch assembly via a pin. The apparatus includes a winch and pulley assembly, an adjustable boom assembly and a gambrel for hoisting an animal. The apparatus is distinguishable for a game gambrel device which can readily twist when the game is hoisted and does not allow room for the tailgate to be lowered.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,806,063, issued on Feb. 21, 1989 to W. Clifton York, describes a portable wild game hoist that is separable for storage and comprises a winch and pulley assembly with a gambrel that attaches to the ball hitch. The assembly is stabilized by straps that attach to the vehicle fender wells and a torsion bar on the boom which bears against the closed tailgate or a plate which rests on the hitch ball. The hoist is distinguishable for having a twistable gambrel and anchoring elements which do not permit the lowering of the gate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,537, issued on Jul. 30, 1996 to Wilmer M. Welch, describes a portable hoist which mounts to a trailer hitch drawbar receiver of a pickup truck that can use either a block and tackle or a pulley to support the winch cable. The hoist is distinguishable for its proximity to the tailgate, which must be closed, and the swinging terminal hook of the block and tackle or pulley system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,746,263, issued on May 24, 1988 to Larry D. Cook, describes a vehicle bumper stored telescopic crane hoist comprising a mast telescopically receiving a boom which supports a power head or winch assembly. The mast is supported by a jack. The tailgate can be lowered. The crane hoist is distinguishable for its required telescopic structure and jack.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,700, issued on Apr. 27, 1993 to Jhy-hong Lin et al., describes a load carrying attachment for any motor vehicle for transporting a personal mobility vehicle comprising a load carrying frame pivotally attached to a first frame member and which is pivotable from a storage position to an extended load carrying position transverse to and extending rearward from the first frame member. A hoist mechanism is attached to one end of the first frame member rotatable on the support about a vertical axis and pivotable thereon in a vertical plane. The apparatus is distinguishable for its limitation to carrying another smaller vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,526, issued on May 18, 1993 to Larry Robinette, describes a modular, readily assembled crane for mounting on a vehicle trailer hitch drawbar and reconfigurable for stand alone, rollabout operation. A receptacle rotatably supports a vertical column, a boom arm, and a hydraulic jack or a winch as the lifting device. An optional pair of outriggers support the crane against a closed tailgate. The crane is distinguishable for its required versatile structure utilizable as a mobile crane.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,672, issued on May 30, 1995 to Jimmy Poe, describes a tailgate hanger apparatus for hanging objects from and lifting objects onto the bed of a pickup truck, comprising a telescopic rod having a base end for supporting the rod, a tip end with a pulley system for lifting objects, and an intermediate portion for holding the tip in an upright pivotal position. The apparatus is supported by two chains attached to the sides of the pickup truck bed with an open tailgate and bolted at its bottom end to an angle iron. The tailgate hanger is distinguishable for its telescopic structure including a unique chain and bolted anchor system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,451, issued on Sep. 2, 1997 to Vincent Muzzi et al., describes a game hoist attached to an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) comprising a horizontal boom on a vertical support shaft which telescopes and supports a winch and two-pulley system ending in a freely rotatable safety hook. The hoist is attached to a side of the ATV either in front or in back. The game hoist is distinguishable for its freely rotatable safety hook.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,993,137 issued on Nov. 30, 1999, to Robert E. Harr describes an adjustable hoist for introducing or removing objects from a vehicle. A main boom having a terminal hook is supported by two steel plates having a rearward support column and a forward hydraulic double action cylinder. A bottom mounting bracket supporting the boom is based on a turntable supported by the receiver mount to the vehicle, two outrigger legs and a jack opposite the receiver mount. The hoist is distinguishable for its required rotatable support system comprising a jack, receiver mount and outrigger legs.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
The present invention is a foldable game hanger apparatus for attachment to the tow hitch of a pickup truck. The folded game hanger can be taken to the site in the bed of the truck and speedily installed in the tow hitch for hanging, cleaning and butchering large game, such as deer and small bears. The apparatus comprises a mast and fixed boom of square cross-section, and having a winch, pulleys and a gambrel with a pair of end hooks and a pair of pins which engage an apertured horizontal bar at the end of the boom to prevent the game from twisting. The horizontal bottom and top bars are locked in place by removable pins for operation and unlocked by removing the pins for folding the unit for storage. The bottom bar is inserted into a tow hitch and locked in place with the hitch pin. The bottom bar is preferably long enough to accommodate a lowered gate of the pickup truck. The game hanger apparatus has a loading capacity of at least 500 pounds.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a game hanger apparatus for attachment to a pickup truck""s trailer hitch.
It is another object of the invention to provide a game hanger apparatus that is foldable and readily removable from the truck.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a game hanger apparatus which has a gambrel that eliminates twisting of the game.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a game hanger apparatus having a fixed boom and a winch raising and lowering a gambrel at the end of the boom.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.